Dallas Cowboys Need the Running Game to Matter Down the Stretch

The Dallas Cowboys running game saw a resurgence on Sunday against the LA Rams, reiterating the importance of a successful running game down the stretch.

Sunday was a sight to behold for Dallas Cowboys fans. After suffering three consecutive losses in as many weeks, the Cowboys righted the ship and won convincingly, beating down the Rams 44-21 (and it wasn’t even that close). And getting back some of that long lost swagger many of us thought had exited the building long ago.

While multiple factors went into the sudden turnaround, one stands out a little more than the rest: The running game. And given the state of affairs, the Dallas Cowboys are going to need that running game if they desire continued success down this final stretch

The Running Game Mattered

Ezekiel Elliott entered the game having failed to eclipse the 100-yard mark over the past five games. The last time he tallied triple-digit yardage was against the lowly Giants five days after Halloween. Yeah, it’s been a while.

But it wasn’t all Zeke’s fault. There were plenty of times Zeke got rolling early only to be ignored down the stretch. Now, the context of those situations tells us the Dallas Cowboys fell behind big fairly early, and continuing to feed Zeke on the ground would be foolish for a team trying to play catch-up.

Just because you run the ball 30+ times, does not mean you’re going to win. High running totals are associated with winning because teams that are leading are more likely to run.

But the fact remains, the running game didn’t matter during that painful 1-4 stretch. When the running game matters – fortunes change. What’s important to understand is that just because you run the ball 30+ times, does not mean you’re going to win. High running totals are associated with winning because teams that are winning are more likely to run. Running the ball does not cause “winning”. Understanding the difference between causation and correlation is important here.

How to Make the Running Game Matter

The answer is pretty simple: the Dallas Cowboys cannot fall behind if they want the running game to matter. That means the NFL’s No. 1 offense can’t afford to march downfield and stall. They can’t settle for field goals (or missed FGs). They need to keep using all four downs to get into the end zone.

Before last week the Dallas Cowboys were in the bottom half of the NFL in red zone TD rate. In the first half, they were a perfect 3-for-3 in the red zone on Sunday. That allowed them to play with a lead. And that allowed them stick with the running game.

Defensive Cooperation

The defense certainly played a part in this as well. The defense was able to stop the high-flying Rams attack which, in turn, made the running game matter even more. We cannot understate the importance playing with a lead has on the running game.

Passing is Still King

More often than not, passing is still king in the NFL. Over the course of the season, Dak Prescott and the passing game have carried this Dallas Cowboys offense. Ezekiel Elliott’s success rate on runs has been no better than league average this season, and more often than not, his first down runs have hurt the Cowboys more than it has helped them (for instance 1st-and-10 is a statistically better position to be in than 2nd-and-7).

But on Sunday, Zeke and Tony Pollard were dynamite on first downs and were considerably more successful than Dallas’ passing attack. It appeared Dak’s finger is affecting him more than we thought it would and that Amari Cooper‘s a little more banged up than we thought, as well.

Run the Ball – But Not at All Costs

There are many in Cowboys Nation who take the hardliner stance of demanding Dallas must “run the ball at all costs”. This is misguided. Many times this season the running game has looked terrible. Sticking with a terrible game plan is not persistence. It’s stupidity.

The numbers overwhelming show passing the ball on first down is exponentially better than running the ball (with recent anecdotal evidence to the contrary). Running the ball is generally good when defenses are spread out and in short yardage.

Why so Important?

For a pass-happy gent like me, it seems strange for me to tout the importance of the running game. But since leading the game on the scoreboard is what usually leads to those impressive running totals, all I’m really doing is saying how important it is to play with a lead.

Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper’s health are also worrisome. Neither of them looked great out there and both could really used a reduced workload. If the Dallas Cowboys can keep jumping out to early leads, they can reduce the pressure on Dak and Amari – keeping them out of harm’s way.

And as long as Zeke and Pollard can keep doing what their doing behind this offensive line, I, an admitted #RBsDontMatter fella, will happily cheer for a more run-heavy approach to Cowboys football.

dark. Next. The biggest issue holding the Cowboys back

Note: There’s many in Cowboys Nation who are sarcastically saying “running backs don’t matter” this week, but #RBsDontMatter refers to the player – not the position. It’s saying you never invest big in a RB because they are one of the most replaceable positions on the field. And since Tony Pollard did just as good as Zeke on Sunday, it really helped prove the point – not discredit it.

Published on 12/17/2019 at 12:04 PM
Last updated at 12/17/2019 at 12:04 PM

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